Charlie Edwards
Senior Researcher
Charlie Edwards writes, lectures and consults on national security, resilience, defence and intelligence. He works with international institutions, government departments, companies, and NGOs. He is a regular commentator in the national and international media.
- Ready or not? The global financial turmoil has concentrated everyone’s minds on one form of risk, but there are plenty more out there to keep public sector managers awake at night. Public Finance convened a round table of experts to see how prepared they are for any eventuality. 5th November 2008 | Public Finance
- Radical measures The government's initiative to tackle violent extremism is welcome but its timing is certain to raise a few eyebrows. The strategy, announced today, suggests that the Home Office is looking to develop a more nuanced and thoughtful approach to countering radicalisation. But the publication of the strategy sits awkwardly with the current controversy over pre-charge detention and Gordon Brown's insistence that raising the number from 28 to 42 days is the right thing to do. Its potential to inflame further tensions in Muslim communities should not be dismissed lightly. 3rd June 2008 | Comment is Free
- Winning on wicked issues Instead of discussing the global risks to Britain, recent debate on national security has focused on the roles of government institutions rather than the problems that need to be solved. Some commentators have lamented the decline of the Foreign Office, while others have questioned the increase in spending on development aid at a time when savings have to be found in the defence budget. It is a depressing cycle of claim and counter claim which smacks of short-termism and a lack of leadership across government. 30th January 2008 | The World Today
- Warning on Home Office split plan Networked Security Home Secretary John Reid's plans to split the Home Office in two could damage the UK's security, a think tank has warned. Demos said Britain already risked being "overwhelmed" by the threat of terrorism, domestic unrest and the drugs trade because of a fragmented approach. And it suggested the solution was a national security "vision" - under the direct control of the Prime Minister. 7th March 2007 | Guardian Unlimited
- Splitting the Home Office could spell trouble Networked Security A new report from the thinktank Demos will put the cat among the pigeons - the centre-left group says that splitting the Home Office in two could actually damage the UK's security. 7th March 2007 | Guardian Unlimited
- Governing by numbers As Tony Blair moves towards the exit, Whitehall and Westminster are thinking ahead. Both are looking for a better form of governance for dealing with domestic and foreign security threats than the one that took this country into Iraq without adequate reason, against its interests and in defiance of so many of its own people. 19th December 2006
- Dual backing for new national security committee Dual appeals for a powerful national security committee of senior ministers to counter domestic and foreign threats will be launched this week by the Conservatives and by Tony Blair's former intelligence chief. 18th December 2006
- Joining up Government Networked Security The case for a national security strategy